lling flowers, sweeping walks, or carrying
ponderous harps for old ruffians. So degraded was their type, and
probably so mingled in North Italy with ancient Celtic blood, that their
faces could hardly be distinguished from those of Irish poor
children--an occasional liquid dark eye only betraying their
nationality.

I felt convinced that something could be done for them. Owing to their
ignorance of our language and their street-trades, they never attended
school, and seldom any religious service, and seemed growing up only for
these wretched occupations. Some of the little ones suffered severely
from being indentured by their parents in Italy to a "Bureau" in Paris,
which sent them out over the world with their _"padrone,"_ or master,
usually a villainous-looking individual with an enormous harp. The lad
would be frequently sent forth by his _padrone,_ late at night, to
excite the compassion of our citizens, and play the harp. I used to meet
these boys sometimes on winter-nights half-frozen and stiff with cold.

The bright eyes among these children showed that there was mind in them;
and the true remedy for their low estate seemed to be our old one, a
School.

Rev. Dr. Hawks, at this time, brought to my attention a very intelligent
Italian gentleman of education, a Protestant and patriot, who had taken
refuge here-Signor A. E. Cerqua. I will let him tell his own story of
the formation and success of the School:

THE ITALIAN SCHOOL--THE FIVE POINTS SETTLEMENT.

"Coming up Chatham Street and bending your course to the left, you turn
into Baxter Street, a dark, damp, muddy street, forming one of the Five
Points. On each side of the way are stores of old clothes and
heterogeneous articles, kept by Polish and German Jews. Numerous
'Unredeemed Goods for Sale,' in the shape of coats, vests, and other
unmentionable garments, are suspended on wooden stands in front of the
doorways. There are also junk-stores, rags, bones, and old metal depots,
and two Italian groceries, one opposite the other. Advancing farther,
you reach the centre of the Five Points, synonymous of whatever is
degraded and degrading, loathsome and criminal. Hero Park Street runs
parallel to Chatham Street and crosses Baxter Street at right angles,
thus forming four of the Five Points. The fifth point is formed by the
junction of Worth Street, leading from this common centre in a northerly
direction. This locality is very dimly lighted, and the